Stack. — On the Colour- Sense of the Maori. 157 



Maunsell, LL.D., a sound Hebrew and Greek scholar, and one whose know- 

 ledge of idiomatic Maori is perfect. A few references from his translation of 

 colour- expressions, will assist those unacquainted with the Maori language 

 to verify the statements I have made. The Greek words are from the 

 Septuagint, the English from the Authorized Version, and the Maori from Dr. 

 Maunsell' s translation. 



Eed — Exd. xxv., 5, r]pvdpodayu)iJ.Eva = diyed vedi:=whakawhero. 



Scarlet — Is. i., 18, (i)oiviKovv = so&vlet = ngangana. 



Crimson — Is. i., 18, kokivov = crimson = i()/iero me te mea whakaivhero. 



Purple — Esth. i., 6, iropcpvpoie = purple ==papura (this is only Maoricized 

 Enghsh). 



Green — Esth. i., 6, (Tnapay^iTov = green = kirini (Maoricized English). 



Greenish — Lev. xin., 49, x^W|Oi<^ovffa== greenish = wia kakarlki. 



Blue — Ex. XXV., 4, vaKLvdov=^\>\Me^^puuru (Maoricized Enghsh). 



Yellow — Lev. xin., 30, ^avOtZi'ovo-a^ yellow = ma koivhai. 

 Ps. Lxvm., 13, x\wpor?7rt = yellow = w^ero. 



Brown — Gen. xxx., 32, (j)aiov = brown = toncjitongi, (really, spotted.) 

 Vide Gen. xxxi., 8. where TrotKiXa, translated "speckled" in 

 English, is rendered whai tongitongi in Maori; and again (ftaioy, 

 rendered "brown" in Enghsh, is rendered pakaka (or kaka 

 colour) in Maori. 



White — Is. I., 18, Xevcavw^white^ma. 



Black — Zech. vi., 6, fieXavec ^^^hlsick = mangu. 

 Job in., 5, (T/coroc =:darkness=^oim. 



Mr. Gladstone says: " Colours were for Homer not facts but images; 

 his words describing them are figurative words, borrowed from natural 

 objects, in truth colours are things illustrated rather than described; " and 

 he supports this opinion by quoting such expressions as rose-colour, wine- 

 colour, bronze-colour, fire-colour, etc. As we find exactly the same method 

 of expressing colour adopted by the Maoris, who spoke of kowhai-S.ower 

 colour, little-parrot colour, we may conclude that their knowledge of colour 

 was in a state of progression. The evidence afforded by the expressions 

 used to distinguish yellow and green, shows that, at one period of their 

 existence, yeUow and green were confounded with the lighter shades of 

 black and white. When the kowhai received its name, it was not on account 

 of its colour, and when the parrakeet was named, it was its size, and not 

 its colour, which attracted attention. It was after becoming acquainted 

 with the kowhai, and little parrot, that they learnt to discriminate the 

 colours. They then ceased to regard objects as merely luminous or non- 

 luminous, but they had not yet realized the existence of colour as a quahty 

 apart from the object with which it was associated in the mind. They 



